Liquid dispensing device



I M. J. GOLDBERG ETAL 2,327,584

LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet l Mme/z J. GOLDBEEGI DAV/0 5. g/u Lsozv, 5r M \Q- Aug. 24, 1943.

M. J. GOLDBERG EI'AL LIQUID DISBENSING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V V5 /V 70195 MARK J GOLDBERG,

Dav/0 5 an.

1943- M. J. GOLDBERG ETAL 2,327,584

LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 //vv/v TOPS: MARK J GOLDBERG,

Aug. 24, 1943, MQJ. GOLDBERG ETAL 2,327,534

LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1941 5 SheetsSheet 4 Aug. 1943- M. J. GOLDBERG ETAL 2,327,584

LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 29, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 //V V/V T OES: Mme J GOLDBERG, 0/? W0 \Siemusom Patented Aug. 24, 1943 LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE Mark J. Goldberg, Spring Lake, and David S. Willson, Muskegon Heights, Mich., assignors to John Wood Manufacturing Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application April 29, 1941, Serial No. 390,864

5 Claims.

registering means having visible volume indieating means operated by the passage of liquid through the meter, and a flexible dispensing hose connected with the outlet from the meter and having a manually operative nozzle valve at its free end. Ordinarily, such indicating means is merely a registering mechanism which temporarily displays numbers at a window in the ap paratus casing and is manually set to zero preceding a dispensing operation.

Our present invention provides such apparatus with means for printing a record of the volume and price of the liquid dispensed at each dispensing operation, and is adapted to print a plurality of record tickets which are separable. One of said record tickets may be delivered to the customer as a receipt, and the others may be delivered to the auditing department of the seller.

One object of our invention is to provide means wherein, during the dispensing operation, both 1 the printing mechanism and the clock register mechanism are detained from resetting operation whenever the motor switch is closed and the motor running.

Another object of our invention is to provide means wherein, after the motor switch is open, said printing mechanism must be cycled by means of the crank before the clock register mechanism can be reset to zero indication, in conformity with the Sealers requirement for a device of this type usable for the public sale of gasoline. Such necessary cycling of the printer mechanism should insure the delivery of a record ticket to the customer before the resetting of the clock registering means to zero position.

Another object of our invention is to provide means to insure the clearing of the internal structural parts of the printer mechanism before the motor switch can be re-closed and the motor re-started.

Still another object of our invention is to provide means to insure that the clock register mechanism must be reset to zero position before the motor switch can be closed to start the motor.

As hereinafter described, the printing mechanism chosen for illustration is of the general character shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,086,363 granted July 6, 1937, to C. L. McMullen. However, in the structure shown in said McMullen patent, a series of printing wheels is used for printing an individual serial number of the instant dispensing transaction and also the serial number of the immediately preceding dispensing transaction; whereas those wheels are used in our present invention to print the price per gallon of the liquid dispensed. Such change is effected by elimination of the parts which actuated the sales number Wheels in the McMullen structure. As hereinafter described, the printing wheels for printing the price per gallon are automatically set simultaneously with the manual setting of the price number wheels in the visible registering mechanism below the printing mechanism, the price wheels in the visible register mechanism being connected with the price printing wheels of the printing mechanism by any convenient means, for example, by the use of a sprocket chain belt.

Our invention includes the various novel features of construction, arrangement, and method of operation hereinafter more fully described In the drawings, Fig. I is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the outer casing of liquid dispensing apparatus, which includes a convenient form of our invention, showing a left-hand elevation of the printing mechanism on top of the visible register mechanism and cooperatively connected therewith.

Fig. II is a left-hand elevation of the apparatus of Fig. I, as seen from the plane of the line II, II in Fig. IV; the left-hand wall of the outer casing, shown in Fig. IV, being removed to show the motor switch rod and lever linkage connected therewith.

Fig. III is a fragmentary elevation of said apparatus showing the inner end or the outer section of the crank shaft and its bearing, as seen from the plane of the line III, III in Fig. IV, and showing the detent mechanism.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary front elevation of the printing mechanism, and an irregular vertical sectional view of the outer casing and registering mechanism, the section being partly taken on the line IV, IV in Figs. I and II.

Fig. V is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the detent mechanism taken on the line V, V in Fi IV.

Fig. VI is a front elevation of the printed record placket.

Fig. VII is an edge view of said placket, including a plurality of paper sheets to be imprinted, with sheets of carbon paper between them.

Fig. VIII is a rear elevation diagram showing of the cooperative relationship of elements of the apparatus aforesaid embodied in a complete liquid dispensing apparatus. I

Referring more particularly to Fig. VIII; the base i has, extending upwardly therefrom, four corner standards 2 which support the outer casing, including the front wall 3, back wall l, righthand wall 5, and left-hand wall 6. Said casing encloses the rotary pump, air eliminator, and valve chamber unitary unit 1, the rotary pump of which is operatively connected with the electric motor 8 by the belt 9. Said pump has the inlet pipe in in communication with a subjacent tank containing a supply of gasoline. The liquid discharged from said pump passes through the flow meter i2which includes a rotor shaft l3 which is operatively connected, by the coupling i i, with the driving shaft i5 of the registering mechanism shown in Fig. IV. The vertical standards IG and I? of said registering mechanism, shown in'Fig. IV, support the adaptor casing Id at the top thereof, and upon which is mounted the casing l9 of the printing mechanism.

The dispensing pipe 2! extends from the top of the flow meter I2 and projects through the left" hand side wall fi'of the casing, as shown in Fig. VIII, and is there connected with the flexible dispensing hose 22. Said hose 22 has at its distal end the nozzle 23 having the nozzle valve 2 which is arranged to be manually operated by the lever 25. As shown, the hose and its nozzle are hung in idle position on the stationary hook 28 projecting through the side wall 6. The hook lever 21 is fulcrumed on the stationary hook 26, and said lever is shown in Fig. VIII'as displaced, counterclockwise, to its motor switch opening position by the guard frame 23* of the nozzle. The motor switch closing position of said hook lever 27 is shown at the left hand side of Fig. IV.

As shown in Fig. VIII, the rear wall i of the casing is provided with a window opening to expose the indicating panel 29 which has three windows 30 at which the price per gallon of the liquid to be dispensed is displayed. Said panel also has three other windows 35 at which the volume of liquid dispensed is displayed in gallons and tenths of a gallon.

Referring to Fig. IV, the mechanism which registers the price per gallon at the windows 30 in Fig. VIII includes the three wheels 33, 3t, and 35 which are merely indicated by'dash lines because they would be covered and concealed by other mechanism which, in fact, is in front of them but omitted in Fig. IV. A duplicate series of price wheels 33, 34', and 35 is displayed through the front wall 3. Each of said wheels has a series of numbers 0 to 9 on its circumference, and

the numbers on the wheels 33 and 33' indicate tenths of a cent; the numbers on the wheels 34 and 34' indicate cents; and the numbers on the wheels 35 and 35' indicate tens of cents. All of said price registering wheels may be manually adjusted in either direction by turning the knob 36, indicated in Fig. I, to operate the gearing train including the gears 35 to 35 inclusive. See Figs. I and IV.

Said price registering wheels are connected by ordinary tens-transfer gearing so that a complete rotation of wheel 33 shiftswhe'el 54 one digit, and a complete rotation of wheel 34 shifts wheel 35 one digit.

The shaft 37 of the price registering mechanism shown in Fig. IV carries at its left hand end the sprocket gear 38 which is connected by the sprocket chain 39 with the sprocket wheel 40 which drives the gear 4! of the train including the gear 42 on the shaft 43. The shaft 43 is journaled in the casing IQ of the printing mechanism and carries in said casing three type wheels as, A5, and 66 connected by tens transfer gearing, so that when the operator manually sets the visible'register wheels 33, M, and 35 to register any price per gallon of the liquid to be dispensed,

the type wheels MI, 45, and '36 are set in a similar dispensing operation. As indicated in Fig. IV,

the driving shaft ithas fixed thereon the pinion ea in mesh with the gear 5! 'on the countershaft 52 on whichis fixed'the bevel gear 53 in mesh with the bevel gear 56 on the shaft 55. The shaft 55 carries the gear 56 of the train includingthe gears 55 and 56 in driving relation with the rear tenths gallon wheel M. The duplicate front series of wheels M, 58, and 49 are driven by the duplicate train of gears 56, 56 and 5& See Figs. I and'IV. That arrangement is such that the liquid passing through the meter 12 is measured in gallonsand tenths of a gallon and the measurement displayed by numbered wheels 41, 38, and 49, and l'i', !l3, and '49.

Said shaft 52 has fixed thereon the gear 58 in mesh with th gear 59 on the driving shaft 59 of the printing mechanism in said casing i9. Said casing It encloses a series of five numbered type wheels 81, 62, 63, cc, and 85, each having on its circumference a series of number type 0 to 9; the wheel 6| representing'hundredths of a gallon; the wheel 62' representing tenths of a gallon; the wheel 63, whole gallons; the wheel 64, tens of gallons; and the wheel 65, hundreds'of gallons. Said five wheelsare connected by tenstransfer mechanism.

As indicated in Fig. IV, the printing mechanism driving shaft fill, which is journaled in the casing i9 of that mechanism, is supplemented by two shaft sections in axial alinement therewith, respectively the intermediate section Eli and the outer section 63 The section 63 is .journaled in the bearing '6! which is formed in motor 8 is energized to'operate the pump by closure of the electric switch H, which is in controlling relation with said pump motor.

Referring to Figs. II, III, and IV, the detent means whereby the printing mechanism is prevented from operation by "the crank 69 during the operation of the pump and released when pump operation is stopped by opening said motor switch ll, includes the disk H0 which is fixed 2,327,584 on the shaft Ill, conveniently by means of the pin H2. Said disk H is provided With the notched recess H3 in its perimeter, and shown in Figs. III and IV engaged by the bell crank detent lever 12. Said lever 12 is fulcrumed on the shaft 13 which is journaled in the bearing 13'. The lower end of said detent lever 12 is pivotally connected to the link 14 which is adjustably rigidly connected to the link 15. The opposite end of said link 15 is connected by the pivot 16 with the arm H of the bell crank lever 18 which is journaled on the stud shaft 13 which, as shown in Fig. II, is rigidly connected with the angle iron standard 2 which is in the left front corner of the casing.

Referring to Fig. II, the lower arm of the bell crank lever 18 is connected by the pivot l8 with the vertically reciprocatory switch rod 80,'the lower end of which is connected by the pivot H with the motor switch I l. The upper arm of said bell crank lever 18 is connected by the pivot 18* with the link 8|, the opposite end of which is connected by the pivot 21 with the hook lever 21 which is fulcrumed on the shaft 25 fixed in the stationary hook 26.

As above described, said hook lever 21 is displaced clockwise in Fig. IV when the nozzle 23 is placed in idle position on the hook 26, as Shown in Fig. VIII. When the nozzle 23 is removed by the operator from the hook 26, said lever 21 may be manually shifted to its motor closing position as shown in Fig. IV. Such counterclockwise movement, in Fig. IV, of said lever 21, moves the switch rod 80 downwardly and simultaneously shifts the detent lever 12 to the position shown in Figs. III and IV in which it prevents the operation of the crank of the printing mechanism. However, as above stated, we prefer to provide means to prevent closure of the switch H until the registering mechanism in the casing H is set to zero position, by the operator, prior to the initiation of a dispensing operation. Said means for zeroizing said registering mechanism, including its decimally numbered wheels 41, 48, and 49 in the casing Il includes the crank 83 shown at the right hand side of Fig. IV, which is fixed on the section 84 of the shaft including the sections 84 and 84*; the latter being journaled in said casing Il Said shaft section 84 has fixed thereon the gear 85 which is in mesh with the gear 86 fixed on the shaft 55, to zeroize the rear registering wheels 41 to 49 and the front duplicate series 41' to 49 inclusive, by the train of gears 85 to 86 inclusive. See Figs. I and IV. Moreover, the connecting member 84, shown at the inner end of said shaft 84 in Fig. IV, engages the inner end of the shaft 81, the outer end of which is shown in Fig. II, and on which is fixed the disk 88 having the notch 88*. As shown in Fig. II, the switch rod 80 is connected by the pivot 8i] with the link 89 which is pivotally connected at its upper end with the locking lever 96 shown in Figs. II and IV, which is fulcrumed at 9| on the stationary frame 92 which is rigidly connected with two of the vertical standards 2. Said lever 90 has the projection 90 which, in the position shown in Fig. II, enters the notch 88 in said disk 88 when the switch rod is in the lower position closing the switch H and causing dispensing operation of the pump 1. However, when the pump switch is opened to stop the operation of the pump, the rod 80 is in its upper position in which the lever 90 has its projection 90 engaged with the toggle lever 93 and is thus held suspended by the projection 93 on said toggle lever which is continually stressed to ward such engagement by the spiral spring 94 engaging the upper toggle lever 95.

The specific form of interlocking means including the disk 88, lever 90, etc., shown in Fig. II, is the subject-matter of Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,126,447 granted August 9, 1938, to William H. D. Brouse, et 9.1., as assignors to International Metal Industries Limited; which patent, by mesne assignments, is now owned by John Wood Manufacturing Company, Inc., a corporation of the State of Delaware, which is the assignee of our present invention. However, any other suitable interlocking mechanism may be employed to prevent the closure of said switch H and consequent initiation of operation of the pump to dispense liquid unless and until said registering mechanism be set to zero position. The printing mechanism casing encloses the spring pressed platen 9! which forms a printing couple with the two series of type wheels 44 to 46 inclusive and BI to inclusive. Said platen 91 is normally upheld from printing operation by the cam 98 on said shaft 59, as shown in Fig. IV.

The front of said casing I9 is provided with the slot 99 to permit the operator to introduce a record ticket placket. Such placket, as shown in Figs. VI and VII, includes a plurality of sheets of paper lfifil to be printed, with sheets of carbon paper Ifll interposed between them. Said placket is introduced in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. VI and VII and with the face shown in Fig. VI toward the type printing wheels. Such a placket or other medium for receiving a record imprint is manually thrust into said casing I9 over the printing type wheels and below the platen 9! to an initial printing position determined by stop means in the casing l9.

If the detent lever 72 be out of the notch recess H3 in the disk H0, the crank 69 and shaft 60 are free to be turned, clockwise only, by the operator. As described in said McMullen Patent No. 2,086,363, the initial portion of the rotation of the crank 69 clockwise one complete revolution causes a punch pin to be driven through the placket to prevent removal of the placket from the printing mechanism until at the end of the dispensing operation the operator again turns the crank 69 one complete revolution to record on the ticket an imprint of the changed position of the number wheels 6| to 65 inclusive. The second revolution of the crank also causes the punch pin to be withdrawn out of engagement with the placket, thus permitting said completely printed placket to be removed from the printing mechanism.

The initial rotation of the crank one complete revolution releases the platen 9'! which, thereupon, upon stress of its spring, strikes the placket downward upon the type wheels with the effect of printing each of the sheets I00 with a record imprint, showing the price per gallon, as printed by the type wheels 44, 45, and 46, as indicated at I02 in Fig. VI. In the zero-start type of printer, zeros are printed by each of the wheels 6| to 65 inclusive, as indicated at I03 in Fig, VI. Thereupon, the operator closes the switch H, if the registering mechanism has been reset to zero, thus restoring the detent lever 12 to the engaged position, as shown in Fig. IV, and the operator proceeds with the dispensing operation, with the effect of automatically, simultaneously, advancing the complete series of visible register wheels 4! to 49, and 41' to 49', and the single series of Iypawheels 1... to t ths, mountof liquid di pensed.

. line of the recess notch II3 of the disk IIB.

At the conclusion. of p the dispensing operation,

the operator opens the switch by moving the hooklever 21, clockwise in Fig. IV, the crank 69 and shaft iifi being thereby free to turn because of movement of the detent 12 from engagement with the notched recess in the disk I II The operator then turnsthe crank another complete revolution with the effect of making a second imprint upon the placket, as indicated at IM'in Fig. VI,- show-. ing the volume of liquid which has been dispensed at that instant dispensing operation. As stated above, such second revolution of the crank 6.9 causes the punch pin to be withdrawn out of engagement with the placketand the operator is permitted to withdraw the placket from the printing mechanism. The operator may then detach one of the'printed record sheets and hand it to the customer as a receipt and dispose of the other printed sheets of the placket for use by the auditing department of the customer.

The operation of the printer detent mechanism whichis in interdependent interlocking relationship with the interlocking mechanism for the visible register mechanism is as follows:

The shaft 69 has fastened at the end thereof, conveniently by the pin 60, the gear H which is in engagement with the gear I it which is carried by the shaft III at the right hand end thereof, as shown in Fig. IV. The relationship of said gears I I 5 and I I6 is such that one complete revolution of the gear I I5 turns the gear I I5 one-half revolution. Said shaft III has fastened thereon th cam III which is fastened to said, shaft III conveniently by means of the pin II 8. H6 and cam III are pinned together by the pin I20. As shown in Fig. V, said cam II? has the crest I2 I, and said cam III is so mounted on the shaft II I that the crest IZI is 180 from the center In .other words, when said cam II I is in the position shown in Fig. V, the notch IIElof the disk HI! is at its lowermost position and in a plane in registry with the detent lever I2.

The lever I23 is pivotally mounted on the pin I24 carried by the housing 51. .end of said lever I23 is continually stressed into engagement with the periphery of the cam I II by means of the spring I25, one end of which is fastened at I26 to the right hand end of said lever I235. The distal end of said spring I en- .circles and is fastened to the stud I2I carried by the housing .67. As shown in Fig. V, said lever I23 carries at the right hand end thereof the rod I28 which is capable of reciprocation in the bearing boss I29 formed on the housing 61.

Said rod I28 has rigidly fastened thereto, .oon- .veniently by the pin ISE, the .cam block .32 provided with the inclined face I33 which is adapted .to be engaged by the latch lever I35 to uphold said rod I28 out of engagement with the cutaway portion I38 of the cam I31. The cam I3! is conveniently fastened by the pin I38 to the register mechanism set-back shaft 84.

The latch lever I35 is pivotally mounted on the shaft Mil which is iournaled in the bearings MI and M2 formed on'the inside of said housing 51'. Said latch lever is continually stressed counterclockwise toward engaging position with the cam block 132 by means of the spring I45,

one end of which encircles and engages the stud circles and engages the stud 149 which is rigidly Said gear The left hand Iii) mounted in the boss I formed in said housing 61'. Said lever I35 is provided with the arm I52 carrying the adjustable screw threaded projection I 53 adapted to be engaged by the arm I2 of the detent lever I2 when saidlever I2 is moved counterclockwise by counterclockwise movement of the lever 2'! to effect closure of the motor switch. counterclockwise movement of the detent arm'l2 into registry with the notched recess N3 of the disk III! causes the arm I2 to engage the projection I53 of the latch lever I35 and moves said latch lever I35 clockwise against the stresses of its spring I 25 so as to disengage said latch lever I35 from the cam block I32 and permit the rod I23 to be moved downwardly under stress of its spring I25 and present an obstruction in the path of the cam I3! and thus prevent rotation of the register seteback shaft 84 by means of the crank 83.

As shown in Fig, I, the rear panel 29, and a similar front panel 28% are conveniently mounted upon opposite sides of the visible' register mechanism casing Il respectively behind the transparent panels d and 3 respectively framed in the rear Wall 1 and front Wall 3, to exclude dust and prevent tampering with the visible register mechanism. We also find it convenient to provide the front wall 3 with the chute 3 having the guideways 3 leading to the slot 99 in the printer casing I9, to facilitate the passage of the record ticket placket to and from the printing mechanism. The shutter E is hinged on the pintle 3 and frictionally engaged by the compressed helical spring 3; so that said shutter 3 may be retained in any position it is placed by the operator.

Operation Our invention operates in the following manner; In order to have removed the ticket placket from the ticket printer at the end of the preceding dispensing operation, it was necessary for the operator to turn the crank 69 a complete revolution from the position shown in Fig. IV to imprint the placket with the final figure setting of the imprint wheelsfil to inclusive, and to raise the punch pin of the printing mechanism from engagement with the placket. Such revolution of the crank 69 turned the disk IIiJso that the notched recess I I3therein is presented at the top out of registry with the detent lever I2, thereby preventing closure of the motor'switch. Such movement of the shaft III presenting the notch I It" at the top, at thesame time caused the crest IZI of the cam I I! to turn through an arc of from the positon shown in Fig. V. Such movement of the c am III depressed the lever I23 counterclockwise about its pivot I 24; lifted the lower end of the rod I28 out of the path of the cam Hill; and permitted the detent latch I35 to engage the underface I33 of the inclined cam block I32 to thereby hold the rod I23 in uplifted position with its lower end lifted out of the path of travel of the cam I31.

When in such position, the printing mechanism I9 is ready to receive a new placket of record tickets which the operator pushes bound end first and face down, into the slot 99 of said printing me hanism un il h p a ke omes into eng ment with stop means at the rear of said slot. In such pos t n of the pparatus, with the notched recess I I3 of the disk I I!) being presented out of registry with the detent lever I2, it is impossible for the operator to close the motor switch. Therefore, the operator must turn the crank 69 one complete revolution, to turn the disk IIO through an arc of 180 to present the notch in registry with the detent lever 12 and to permit movement counterclockwise of said detent lever 12, and corresponding movement of the switch linkage, to effect closure of the motor switch. Such rotation of the crank 69 causes the punch pin to be driven through the placket to retain it in the printing mechanism until such time as the crank 69 has been turned again by the operator through a, second complete revolution; moves the notch I I3 through an arc of 180 into registry with the path of travel of the detent lever 12; effects contemporaneous movement of the cam II1 so that the crest I2I thereof is presented at the top in the position shown in Fig. IV; and causes the platen 91, under stress of its spring, to strike downward upon the type wheels with the effect of printing each of the sheets I00 with a record imprint, showing the price per gallon and the initial reading of the wheels 6| to 65 inclusive. The lever I23 and the rod I28 are held in non-engaging position with respect to the cam I31 by continued engagement of the latch I35 with the underside I33 of the inclined cam block I32.

The construction and operation of the interlock mechanism including the parts 81 to 95 inclusive, are such, as for example described in said Brouse et al. Patent No. 2,126,447, that closure of the motor switch is prevented unless and until the visible register has been reset to its initial position, regardless of the fact that the notch II3 of the disk III] has been moved into the plane of movement of the detent lever 12 by means of rotation of the crank 69.

Therefore, the register mechanism is then reset to zero through revolution of the set-back crank 83, and the operator lifts the nozzle from the hook 26 and moves the hook lever 21 counterclockwise to close the motor switch to start the pump.

Such counterclockwise movement of the hook lever 21, through the linkage 8|, 11, etc., moves the detent lever 12 counterclockwise on its pivot 13 and into engagement with the notched recess I I3 of the disk I I 0; thereby preventing any turning movement of the crank 69 until such time as the motor switch again is opened.

Such counterclockwise movement of the detent lever 12 causes the arm 12' thereof to strike the projection I53 on the latch lever I35, thereby moving said latch lever I35 clockwise from engagement with the face I33 of the inclined cam block I32 fastened on the rod I26. Such unlatching permits the rod I28 to be moved downwardly,

by the spring I25, so that its lower end is presented in the path of the cam I31, thereby preventing any rotation of the set-back mechanism of the visible register not only during the time when the motor switch is closed, but also until such time as the crank 69 of the printer is turned through its second complete revolution. Movement of the rod I 28 downwardly is limited by the lever I23 moving clockwise into engagement with the underside of the cam I I1.

Therefore, during such time as the motor switch remains closed, it is impossible for the operator to effect rotation of either the printer crank 69 or the visible register set-back crank 83.

When the dispensing operation has been finished, the hook lever 21 is moved clockwise by the placing of the nozzle on the hook 26. Such clockwise movement of the hook lever opens the motor switch and contemporaneously moves the detent lever 12 from out of engagement with the notch I I3 of the disk IIU. As the record ticket placket is still impaled on the punch pin of the printing mechanism, it is necessary for the operator to turn the crank 69 through one complete revolution, thereby removing the punch pin from engagement with the placket; turning the notched recess H3 of the disk III] out of the plane of movement of the detent lever 12; lifting the rod I28 out of the path of the cam I31 to permit the setting hack to zero of the visible register through turning of the crank 83; and also imprinting on the placket the final figure setting of the imprint Wheels BI to 65 inclusive of the printing mechanism.

When the motor switch is in open position, the crank 69 may be turned any number of revolutions, and after the first revolution thereof the set-back crank 83 of the visible register likewise may be turned any number of revolutions. Such freedom of operation is desirable to facilitate adjustment of the mechanism by a repair man if such adjustment should be necessary. However, in order to effect closure of the motor switch, it is of course necessary that the notch H3 be in its down position in registry with the path of travel of the detent lever 12. Otherwise, counterclockwise movement of the detent lever 12 would be prevented by the striking of the left hand side, in Fig. IV, of said lever 12 with the solid surface of the disk I ID.

We do not desire to limit ourselves to the specific details of construction, arrangement, or method of operation herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of our invention, as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In recording mechanism including a visible register operatively connected to a meter; the combination with an electric switch in controlling relation to a motor; of interlocking means preventing closure of said switch until said visible register mechanism has been set to a predetermined initial position; zeroizing means for said visible register mechanism; printing means including a series of numbered printing wheels; means for making imprints from said wheels, including a crank shaft and a crank on said shaft; a second interlocking detent means movable to alternately hold and release said shaft of said printing means; means interconnecting the printing mechanism interlocking detent means with said visible register mechanism zeroizing means; whereby operation of both said printing mechanism crank shaft and said zeroizing means is prevented when said motor switch is closed and whereby operation of said zeroizing means is prevented when said printing mechanism crank shaft is in a predetermined position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detent means of said printing means includes a lever movable to alternately engage and release an element fixed on the printing means shaft.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the detent means of said printing means includes a disk fixed on the printing means shaft and having a recess to engage the detent lever.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the interconnecting means, preventing operation of said zeroizing mechanism when said printing mechanism crank shaft is in a predetermined position, includes a reciprocatory plunger; means connecting said electric switch and said plunger;

connectingsaid electric switch and said plunger; whereby said plunger is moved into position to prevent operation of the zeroizing mechanism by closure of said electric switch; and means, including a cam fixed on said crank shaft of said printing mechanism in operative relation to a lever connected to said plunger, to move said plunger to non-operative position upon rotation of said printing mechanismcrank shaft.

MARK J. GOLDBERG.

DAVID S. WILLSON. 

